The National Retail Federation predicts spending on Valentine’s Day will reach nearly $24 billion. The Better Business Bureau wants Nebraskans to be aware of scams whether you are purchasing gifts or looking for love.
Spokesperson Josh Planos tells KLIN News romance scammers are targeting vulnerable people on many dating websites. He tells KLIN News, “January is typically the most popular month for folks to sign up for these sites. Valentine’s Day is the perfect time for scammers to make a last ditch effort for additional money. A lot of these scammers are creating fake profiles, sending out fake information, creating fake companionships in hopes of pulling money out of unsuspecting victim.”
Another tip that this is a scam is if they want to contact you outside the dating website. Planos says, “The reason for that is there are additional layers of security these app’s and websites provide that they want to bypass. Sites like Bumble and Tinder are more than willing to kick scammers off their platform but first they have to know there is an actual scam being perpetrated on their platform. The are looking to get off the site so they won’t be policed.”
Planos says these relationships move very fast and the scammer never can meet in person. After a short period of time typically comes the “sob story” where the person starts asking for money. Those stories include the heat has been turned off, a vehicle stolen or needing money for medical bills.
Falling victim to a romance scam be devastating as victims can lose thousands of dollars, left heartbroken and feeling betrayed.
The BBB offers these tips to protect yourself from being catfished.
Never send money or personal information that can be used for identity theft to someone you’ve never met in person.
Never give someone your credit card information to book a ticket to visit you. Cut off contact if someone starts asking you for information like credit card, bank, or government ID numbers.
Ask specific questions about details given in a profile. A scammer may stumble over remembering details or making a story fit.
More safety tips are available by clinking here.